Changes in the Hauck house

Since Tony handed over youth to another pastor, he's been a bit adrift. His duties at the church were fine, and he did them well, but he wasn't sure what God had next for him.

We've been praying, working with house churches, doing the dream team down town, but this week Tony recieved an invitation to teach a few math and Bible classes at a private school. He'll still be on staff at Church On the Rock, but he'll be teaching in the mornings.

He's excited about this opportunity. It got us talking: was he called to pastor youth for a season? Is God calling him back into teaching? We're not sure but we're open to whatever God wants to do. He is Good! We can trust Him.

Because this opportunity came up so late, he doesn't have much time to prepare and teachers go back to work on Monday.

We had to cancel vacation and Tony's trip to his class reunion, but it's all good. I have a lot of work to do anyway. Rewrites! Those are hard to do on the road.

I'll miss seeing family, but am excited about this phase for Tony. God provides. Period.

And it's raining on Sunday

My dog hates storms, rolling thunder, cracks of lightning. Theses phenomenons are the unknown to her. She lifts her head, perks her ears and trembles. Then she sits as close to me as possible.

While natural storms don't frightening, political and economic ones put me in the frame of mind as my mini Schnauzer. I lift my head, perk my ears, tremble a bit inside. What's going on? Where's it coming from, where's it going? How bad will it get? Who can stop it?

And like my dog, I must move as close to my Master as I can. I'm sure He reaches down to stroke my head like I do hers, reassuring her everything is going to be all right. I'm sure He speaks peace to my heart and mind like I do to hers. I'm sure He's praying for me like I pray for her.

But unlike my dog, I know I will endure hard times. The Bible guarantees us of it. Our home church as been studying Revelation and End Times to prepare our hearts for both the good and the bad ahead.

Did you know there are over a hundred chapters in the Bible dealing with the End of the Age. That's more than the entire New Testament.

We can't ignore what God is doing in the earth. The days of "it'll all pan out" are fading away. The mind set of "Well, I don't know but I'm trusting God," is foolishness. We can know, we should know, we must know. (No, not the day and hour, but the times and seasons!)

Understanding what is to come changes the way I live my life now. Beyond the signs of tribulation, beyond the horrors of an anti-Christ government, it's amazing to understand how God will care for His people. He'll pour out His Glory. Even more, how we live NOW ushers us into our millennial kingdom "reign."

This life is an internship to the next. Let's live well. Humbly with forgiveness in our hearts, esteeming others higher than ourselves. Our reward, our beauty, our fame will come. Better in the next life when Jesus reigns on the earth than now.

Pray. Seek wisdom. Run with endurance.

It's Camy Tang day!

I love Camy. She's beautiful, funny, and a smart writer to boot. Her newest release is Deadly from Love Inspired.

Here's a bit about the book: The Grant family's exclusive Sonoma spa is a place for rest and relaxation -- not murder! When Naomi Grant finds her client Jessica Ortiz bleeding to death in her massage room, everything falls apart.

The salon's reputation is at stake. . .and so is Naomi's freedom when she discovers that she is one of the main suspects! Her only solace is found with the other suspect -- Dr. Devon Knightley, the victim's ex-husband. But Devon is hiding secrets of his own. When they come to light, where can Naomi turn. . .and whom can she trust?

Bio:
Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. She used to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story Sensei fiction critique service.

On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every week, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own. . .), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind. Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/ for a huge website contest going on right now, giving away fourteen boxes of books and 24 copies of her latest release, DEADLY INTENT.

RWA Conference and The RITAs

Today I flew home from the Romance Writers of America conference in Washington DC.

I went without any of my buddies, but left with many new and improved relationships. My roommates, Jane Thornton, Nancy Hines and Cecelia Dowdy were strangers on Wednesday but friends by Sunday.

Friend and fabo author Leanna Ellis became a better friend. I deepened my relationship with fellow Buckeye and author Debbie Giutsi, Darlene Buchholz and Missy Tippens.

Lingering with Leanna, Sarah Sumpolec, Robin Lee Hatcher in the hotel lounge after a nice dinner with Linda Hall, we bonded with the glue that is laughter.

Friday afternoon, I prayed with Terri Reed, Deanne Gist, Cara Slaughter, Judy Duarte and another author that I cannot remember. I'm so sorry, friend, for forgetting!

I visited with the lovely and kind Siri Mitchell, unable to stop bragging on her book, Love's Pursuit. Oh man, what a GREAT book. You have to read this story. Siri went to a new level in her writing and story telling. As if she wasn't awesome already.

While I missed the vivacious and bubbly Susan May Warren, I had a great time kind of floating. I could go with whoever. . . whenever. It was fun. God seemed to provide the right friend at the right moment. For both them and me. I went to the conference thinking I would not see many if any people I knew. I left hearing Leanna's voice in my ear, "You know everyone."

I visited with my local RWA Star sisters, too. It was good to connect with them, especially JoMarie DeGioia and Lee Duncan.

The most amazing moments were the God encounters - having opportunity to tell two women, one a major super star author, that God thought she was beautiful. The other, a young woman looking to one day be a major super start author who needed to hear Jesus was real and she could have assurance of faith.

Both Susie and I were up for the Rita Award for best inspirational fiction. I told Leanna during lunch, "I feel nervous like I'm going up on the stage."

But, I didn't have the same feeling about winning. Oh, I wanted to win. Prayed to win. But above all, I prayed to love the person who one with the love of Jesus.

Susie won the Rita. I walked to the stage with a broken shoe (let's not talk about the weekend's wardrob malfunctions) and accepted the award for her. The moment I hit the stage, my heart was overwhelmed with love and joy. Tears hit my eyes. My own disappointment was a thin, pale shadow on the far wall of my heart.

My "gold statuess" for me last Saturday night was what the Lord did in my heart. I'm not going to go into great detail, but let me just say sometimes the highest prize is not the obvious one. Saturday was Susie's night to win the Rita, but it was my night to have some thing deposited in my heart that will go far beyond this life. The Lord answered my prayer in a way I never imagined, then applied a thick layer of grace to keep it in place!

Sunday Jane, Nancy and I, along with an old friend of Jane's, toured the War Memorials in Washingtong. As Nancy and I walked the WW II memorial, we paused to take pictures, tearing up. Please, don't let their sacrifice be in vain!

I ate too much junk food. But who's counting? :)

If I left anyone out, please tell me! After all, I did know "everyone!" How can I keep them all straight.

I'm home now, ready to get to work on rewrites. Take time to thank the Lord for a blessing that you didn't expect. A friend. A family member. Speak graciously of someone who wronged you. Set your eyes on the prize of Christ Jesus!

How has the Lord blessed you in a way you didn't expect, but know it will linger throughout all of eternity?

Naked Christian Girls

Caught your eye, didn't I? I've been thinking about this topic for awhile, then last night I learned Heidi Montag from MTV reality shows, most recently, The Hills, is a Christian. Well, so I discovered after following a Twitter rabbit trail where I ended up on her husband's, Spencer Pratt, Twitter.

Not knowing much about her, I Googled her and "Oh, MY EYES!"

Wow, Heidi boobs and butts abound in cyberspace. Then, I discover she's all set for a fancy Playboy feature (the word spread just has too many other connotations) this September.

My heart is breaking. Heidi, you say you love Jesus yet you behave in such an immodest, lustful manner?

Jesus writes, "My sheep hear my voice," and "If you love Me, why don't you do what I say?"

The Apostle Paul writes to not behave in sensuality and immorality. To not be driven by our fleshly lusts. (Gal 5:19)

Heidi, you have so much beauty and by that power. You can influence young women toward purity (not prudity,) respecting themselves and their bodies, therefore causing men to respect them.

Sweetie, do you realize what men and boys will be doing when they view your naked body, alone, say, in their bedroom or bathroom. They are not going to be thinking, "Great work of art, let's go throw some football."

You're causing husbands, brothers, fathers to lust and sin in their hearts betraying the wives they love.

Why not use your platform to raise the bar. Song of Songs 2:15, "... do not spoil the vine while it is in bloom."

Impressionable young women are watching you. I know it's hard to be put on the role model pedestal, but it's too late. You are there.

The same with Carrie Prejean. Google her and see the pictures that come up. Beautiful girl, but how can her Christ message be taken seriously? How does she really look different from any other beauty queen or model. Her faith is just some value she has like one would believe in Buddah, or Mohammad.

Being nake for the world to see invalidates her message. "Hey, adore my body, now love Jesus."

The only way the Gospel can ring true if she turns, if she repents.

I know we don't talk much about repentence these days, but beloved, we need to be on our knees, repenting of our compromise, our embrace of sin.

To a church without mixture, God will pour out His Spirit without measure. Healings, deliverances, miracles, love and grace, peace!

I'd rather have those things to minister to a hurting world than to embrace sexual immorality and the "right" to parade around naked.

What power Carrie's beauty could bring for good if she raised the bar for women and preached self respect and purity. Education, humility and love.

I'm not against beautiful Christian women being in the market place or Hollywood. I am challenging the embrace of nudity and sensuality.

Being naked does not empower anyone. I hear that from Hollywood all the time. "I took my clothes off for the camera, it was so empowering."

Really? Then why aren't you naked now, or when you shop down Rodeo Drive. Because being naked is not empowering, but weakening. It makes us vulnerable.

The only "naked" we need to be is "naked" before God, letting Him change us from the inside out.

Carrie, Heidi, RAISE THE BAR!! Use your beauty and power truly for God's kingdom.

What is it with beautiful women who have perfect white teeth, long blonde hair, awesome bodies?

Living a fasted lifestyle

A friend and I've been emailing back and forth about a fasted lifestyle. What does it mean? Why and how do we live "fasted?"

Can we look around our lives and see what we don't need, what we can do without and take the time and money we spend on them to give to the poor, or aid a family member or friend?

My friend wrote to me: "There is an entitlement mentality that exist in the church and we're devoid of self sacrifice. Once we do a little bit of sacrifice we buy into the lie of "well I've sacrificed, so I deserve some me time." The latter bites me in the rear all the time and gets my soul in some kind of trouble. We need to preach the good ole fashion self denial again with clarity and without apology and or prefacing."

I'm often bitten by the "me time" bug. Are you? Man, that's a hard one. But I feel it when I focus too much on "me time."

The fasted lifestyle is about the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle. It's about being meek and humble, compassionate and lovers of God and others. Being gentle, not getting revenge when people revile and slander us because of what we believe.

Take some time to read Matthew 5 and let me know your thoughts on Jesus's sermon.

There are promises to all His conditions. If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you'll be satisfied.

How often do we hunger and thirst for pleasures of this world, and not the righteousness of the kingdom? I'm guilty of that, I know.

Because living a Sermon on the Mount lifestyle, a fasted lifestyle isn't about giving up for giving up sake. We see many in the world who don't know Jesus who live meek and lowly, not pursuing money and things, but that is their god.

Giving it up now as an act of voluntary weakness shows our devotion to the Lord, turning our hearts toward wholeheartedness. When I fast food, I'm weak. When I give sacrificially of my money and find myself in need, I'm weak. I need the Lord to intervene. When I don't speak up or defend myself by checking my words, then I am vulnerable and weak, standing only because He sustains me.

And the rewards will come. If not in this life, in the one to come. This life is an internship. What we do now with our time, money and words has repercussions for all of eternity. Can we wait a few minutes to have "things" so that in ETERNITY (Ecc 3:11) we have ABUNDANCE?

I'm wrapping my mind about it. It's my hearts desire. What about you?

God's perfecting good work

I've found comfort and truth in the Word lately. Reading in Philippians this morning, Paul admonishes us, "and He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

I read the verse a second and third time, then I wrote it down in my journal, and prayed over it, making it personal and about me, and my family.

God is doing a good work in me. Yay, I need it.

God will perfect His own work. Sigh of relief because I'm pretty sure I'm incapable of perfecting anything, let alone myself.

God will be with me, working in and through me until the day of Jesus. This means I'm never abandoned no matter what my circumstances look like. No matter how I feel.

This is Good News!

I've observed over the past decade that many make rules, laws, exceptions to life, to the Gospel based on their experiences and feelings rather than truth.

We embrace sin because of something we did in the past. Or because of someone we love. Beloved, this cannot be.

Our President wants to take over heath care because of what his mother went through. While I'm sympathetic to suffering, there are so many extenuating circumstances to health care, why people do or do not have provision. We must ask all the questions. Consider all circumstances.

We can't run this country based on emotion and I fear we are. That, and a thirst for power.

But God who began a good work in me, also began one in my country. He will perfect it until the day of Christ!

I am comforted by the enormous perfect of His heart and love.

Love's Pursuit by Siri Mitchell

Please welcome my friend, Siri Mitchell, a fabulous author. She has a new release and I highly recommend all of her works.
Siri graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.

But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.

Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.

A Constant Heart was her sixth novel. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. She has been called one of the clearest, most original voices in the CBA.


ABOUT THE BOOK

In the small Puritan community of Stoneybrooke, Massachusetts, Susannah Phillips stands out both for her character and beauty. She wants only a simple life but soon finds herself pursued by the town's wealthiest bachelor and by a roguish military captain sent to protect them. One is not what he seems and one is more than he seems.

In trying to discover true love's path, Susannah is helped by the most unlikely of allies, a wounded woman who lives invisible and ignored in their town. As the depth, passion, and sacrifice of love is revealed to Susannah, she begins to question the rules and regulations of her childhood faith. In a community where grace is unknown, what price will she pay for embracing love?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Love's Pursuit, go HERE

I admit it, I succombed . . .

. . . to worry.

As I was driving home from prayer and running a few errands this morning, I surfed radio stations. I came across a couple of Gospel sistahs preaching-speaking about worry!

I knew! That was me. Worried.

The more I listened, the more I started praying and repenting. Why am I worried? God is my God, He's in control, He's Good, He's love, He's holy!

But I'd let my heart and mind get caught up in the world around me. Not my family, or my work, but politics and all the craziness going on.

Do you know our congress just passed a tax on AIR!? It's cleverly called Cap and Trade, but it's an air tax. It's a hoax, and based on the most controversial science since blood letting.

But, I've written my letters to my representatives, and I've addressed my concerns to the Lord. Now I have to let go.

It's hard, I admit, to watch my country go down the tubes, but all the more reason to press my cheek over Jesus heart and hear what He's thinking and feeling.

Tears streaming down my cheeks, I gave up my worry to Jesus. I so appreciate those women who spoke the truth of the Word over the radio. So glad I channel surfed. It was the perfect kiss of God on my heart.

The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society

I didn't think I'd like this book. It's written in letter form from an author to her editor and friends.

But I would've missed a touching, heart felt story told by characters that could've been my friends. Or relatives.

Set in early '46, right after the war, author Juliet begins corresponding with the residents of Guernsey, (yes, where the cow comes from ;) about their Occupation by the Germans during the war.

Can you imagine? Your town isolated and about to be invaded by an occupying force? Your children had been evacuated for safety. But who knew if the families taking them in would be kind? Or if the town where they lived might not be bombed by the enemy?

Most of the men had gone to war. So the island was left to women and older men, or boys too young to enlist. I can't imagine.

The invading Germans took the best homes, even blew up one that was in the way of the guns. They took the food. The took the women if they could.

Those opposing the rules or harboring a pig to kill later for food, were sent to the Commandant. Many were sent to prison, or the camps. (Yeah, the ones what's-his-name says never happened.)

In the story, one character went to Belsen where he was made to live in hideous, starving conditions, digging ditches for all the thousands of dead. The Russians were coming from the East and the Allies from the West. The Germans poured petrol on the bodies and torched them.

The above picture is of a nine-year-old boy who was arrested by the Germans in Warsaw. He survived Belsen by God's grace.

What I love about this book is the writing, the humor, and the story of a brave, strong people on an English Channel Island who survived five years of enemy occupation.

As we head toward America's birthday of Independence, let's remember we are the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Lately, we act more like the Land of the Whiny and Home of the Fearful.

If you want happiness, don't wait for the Government. The more control we surrender to them, the more Freedom we lose. Pursue your OWN happiness. So far, there's not many things to stop you. Only your own weaknesses and laziness.

As far as I'm concerned, we can never talk about the atrocities of WW2 enough. Please, more stories about the death camps and what the Germans did to weaker men, women and children.

Please more books about what a unchecked government can do. Please more books about what can happen to a nation when good men and woman do nothing!

The answer is not in what Washington can do, but what WE can do!

Happy 4th!

Never A Bride Blog Tour

Hey, I'm honored to have this book on my blog. I'm a few days late, Sorry! But I love Rene Gutteridge and her stories, and am excited to meet Chery McKay. I've read the beginning of the book and love it. It's a great summer read.

Here's a blurb: When God becomes a live-in-the-flesh part of Jessie Stone’s life, Jessie is skeptical. After all, most men wind up disappointing her. Could God really have a better love story in mind? A romantic comedy with a spiritual twist, Never the Bride is about losing control and getting more than any woman could ever imagine.

Jessie has spent thirty-five years fantasizing about marriage proposals, wedding dresses, and falling in love. She’s been a bridesmaid eleven times, waved dozens of couples off to sunny honeymoons, and shopped in more department stores for half-price fondue pots than she cares to remember.

But shopping in the love-of-her-life department hasn't been quite as productive. The man she thought she would marry cheated on her. The crush she has on her best friend Blake is at very best. . .well, crushing. And speed dating has only churned out memorable horror stories.

So when God shows up one day, in the flesh, and becomes a walking, talking part of her life, Jessie is skeptical. What will it take to convince her that God has a better love story than one of the thousands she’s cooked up in her journals? Will she trust Him with her pen when it appears her dreams of being the bride are forever lost?

A romantic comedy with a spiritual twist, Never the Bride is what it means to lose control—and getting more than any woman could ever imagine.

Cheryl McKay and Rene Gutteridge’s awesome creative chemistry has already impressed fans of The Ultimate Gift—the two co-authored the novelization of the film. You won’t want to miss this duo’s latest collaboration!

Cheryl McKay is the co-author (with Frank Peretti) of the Wild and Wacky, Totally True Bible Stories series, which has sold nearly 200,000 copies, and the screenwriter of the award-winning film The Ultimate Gift.

Rene Gutteridge has published thirteen novels including Ghost Writer, My Life as a Doormat, the Boo Series, the Occupational Hazards Series, and the Storm Series. Together, McKay and Gutteridge are the authors of The Ultimate Gift, a novelization based on the feature film and popular book by the same title.

God provides

I came across this verse last week in 2 Corinthians 8.

"As it is written, "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gather little had no lack."

I love the picture of this verse. God provides all our needs. Even a few of our wants, but if we are living a Sermon on the Mount lifestyle, we will have neither too much nor too little.

It's hard to fathom too much, isn't it. But I think one can have too much. King Solomon had MUCH and in the end he claimed he was empty, and all he had was vanity.

I believe everyone's right to pursue as much as they want. I'm against redistribution of wealth by government agencies, but I certainly admonish those who have abundance to give. That's what Paul is telling the Church in Corinth. Give so none have need.

Giving cannot be legislated. It will cause envy and strife, and in the end never fixes the problems the government thinks they are fixing. The rich will just find other avenues for hteir money, and the poor will be even more so.

God is a giver. He loves giving and He loves givers. Luke 6:38 says, "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

In these economic times, trust God to provide all of your needs.

Comforted by God and One Another

I love the Word. It's so rich, deep, powerful. In the mid-'80s to early '90s, I struggled with fear and anxiety, and my prescription was meditating, ingesting, believing God's Word.

I read, "I do not have a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind," and believed it! I quoted it in the hard, heart-pounding moments, and was comforted.

I also surrounded myself with like-minded Believers. They stood with me and prayed for me. Soaking prayer was also a huge part of my deliverance. For a year and a half I attended a 6:00 a.m. prayer meeting with a handful of others, once in awhile, I'd be the only visible person in the sanctuary, and there Jesus wooed my heart.

The other day I came across this verse and it so touched me: 2 Corinthians 7:6-7

"But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you..."

So clearly God comforts us, sometimes supernaturally, but often by the fellowship of the saints. If you're struggling, join with the Body of Christ. Find true Believers who will pray with you, agree with you for the "peace of Jesus to guard your heart and mind."

Don't give up on his plan and destiny for you. I'm so glad I never caved on my belief that God's Word worked and would set me free. I'm living proof. He is who He says He is. Was it always easy. No way. I had to struggle and push through. But the more I gained victory, the more I gained strength in my faith. My mind and emotions were renewed and transformed.

Fight the good fight, run with endurance. Speak who He says you are, despite your feelings and emotions. His joy is your strength!

A Great letter from a fellow American

I read her letter, coupled with my own thoughts and realized, we are no longer being governed by our elected officials, but by special interests: ACORN, the EPA, the AMA, the Feds, Frannie and Freddy, Unions, Labor, etc. All of our rights are being determined or threatened by an elite few.

Speak up, America.

Here's the post from a woman in Arizona.

I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me.

Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are.

Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?

Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ‑‑ what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band‑Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ‑‑ please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person.

I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course.

Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance.

Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. (Mine, too!) I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making.

We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented.

You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far.

Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations.

We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when hewill rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now.

We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear?

We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent?

Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

A weekend in Nashville

The weekend in Nashville was fun. What a great city -- big and exciting but with small town warmth.

Country music fans are some of the nicest music fans in the world. As they waited in the hot sun to be let into Rocketown for Sara's Fan Party, they said nothing when VIP guest went in ahead of them. Same with Josh Turner's fans. They were even helpful. So, big shout out to country fans!

Sara's fan party was energetic and packed. About half way in, she introduced the book and called me up on stage. We plugged the book and I said what a great team we made. She was so easy to work with -- we had a lot of similar ideas.

Cool for me, too, was meeting a couple of players on the University of Alabama's softball team. I'd just been watching them on TV a few weekends ago. I was and am a fan! I got a picture with them, and gave them an Advance Reader Copy of The Sweet By and By.

Saturday I attended Josh Turner's Fan Party. I'm "new" to him, but have come to love his music. He was so casual and fun at the party. Good banter.

I had to leave before I could meet him, but I wanted to get to the airport on time or Budget would charge me for another day of car rental. And don't get me started on the fiasco for the weekend. Yikes!

Listen, go over to Sara's site and sign up for a chance to win a trip to Nashville for the launch party. Also, check out Country Weekly in the next few weeks. Their photographer was there and got a picture of me with Sara!

Blessings.

Sara Evans Fan Party

Good news! I'm heading to Nashville tomorrow for Sara Evan's Fan Party on the 12th. She introducing the book to her fans this weekend.

I'll be in touch via Twitter and Facebook. Looking forward to sharing more news with y'all!

Learning about prayer at my Mama's knees

When I was a little girl, my father smoked. In fact, one of my first memories of him was listening to Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass, playing on the front porch while he smoked a cigar.

He had a three packs a day habit. In the early '60s, a lot of people smoked. My paternal grandmother smoked. My uncles and aunts. To this day, I love the smell of a lit cigarette.

My older brother and I would ride with Dad to the drug store -- he in his stocking feet -- and run inside for a pack. Can you see it? A five or four year old going up to the counter with a dollar and asking for a pack of Camels?

I'm not sure how my Mom came to this notion, but she started to pray for my dad to quit smoking. I'm not sure if he wanted to or if she thought he should. She didn't nag him. My brothers and I were not subject to big fights over cigarettes.

Every day she had my older brother and then younger brother (there were only 3 kids then) pray for Dad to quit smoking.

"Let's ask Jesus to help Daddy give up cigarettes."

So we did.

One day my dad opened a new pack of cigarettes, lit up, but spit it out. It tasted bitter. He tried a different cigarette. Then a different pack of cigarettes. All bitter. The taste and desire to smoke was gone.

For the rest of his life, Dad never smoked again. He didn't even have a craving.

What an impression to leave on a young girl's heart. My mom demonstrated faith and holiness, and the heart of Jesus, by teaching us to pray.

I wish I still had the faith of my four-year-old self.

Thanks, Mom. What a terrific inheritance.

Without God

America is in the midst of many social debates: Prop 8, abortion, helping the poor - but how and by whom, ethnic and minority debates.

While listening to Glenn Beck the other day, he was trying to make the point that because he didn't believe in homosexuals marrying didn't mean he was against homosexuals as people. He espoused his good relationship with a gay couple even though they disagreed on marriage.

Yet it occurred to me Glenn wanted a rule - marriage for heterosexual couples only - without any authority. Laws or rules only work if they have a foundation in authority and power -- a source higher than us to make them work. To enforce them.

If we take God and the work of the Cross through Jesus out of the mix, none of the debates and arguments work. It's just that -- debate. "My way is better than your way. No, my way is better."

Taking God out of the marriage equation, taking "sin" out of the human behavior equation, marriage has no rules. Sex has no rules. Anyone, anywhere, anytime.

If marriage is to be between one man and one woman, it's because God designed it to be that way from the beginning. Re: Garden of Eden. Why? To show his devotion and love to us, The Bride of Christ. Re: Revelation.

Marriage can't be redefined without Him. In fact, it can't even be defined without Him. If we base our social norms on ideologies outside the knowledge of God, anything goes. There's no reason not to let anyone marry who wants to marry.

Let's get really bold in our thinking here. What if, say, we reserve sex for marriage? Hmm. Now it's not just homosexual "sex" we're dealing with, but adultery, fornication, any behavior outside of the marriage covenant between a man and a woman.

Hebrews 13:4 - "Let the marriage be kept honorable in every way, let the marriage bed be undefiled... God will judge those who commit sexual sin, especially those who commit adultery."

I know, this sets the bar pretty high. But God is telling us through His Word what He requires. It's His, well, Constitution. We really are without excuse. 

Thankfully, He's a God of love and mercy. He embraces weak, sinful humans. But don't be deceived, He won't let His Word return to Him void without accomplishing His intentions. He will judge. He will call into account.

Will you be ready? Will I be ready? Working on it!

You can't change God to fit society. He will change society to fit Him. If you're struggling, talk to Him, ask Him for understanding. Start by reading the Bible and dialoging about it. "What is this? God, I don't understand. Help me to get it."

He will.

Never fear, God is here!

In between collaborating on books with Sara Evans, I am working on my own book. It's a funny, yet poignant story... naturally.

Every time I go to work on a book, I meet someone or see something that is right in line with what I'm working on. Here's what I mean.

When I started the first Nashvegas book, Lost In Nashvegas, the angle was redneck chick lit. I mused over what kind of story I could write, pondering if I could even come up with a redneck chick story. One night at our Fire Dweller prayer meeting, I pondered the idea further, praying, asking God for direction and when I looked up, there was a kid standing in front of me wearing a t-shirt with a redneck joke on the back.

During the writing of Diva Nashvegas, I struggled to find details on exactly why an artist and a label would clash. All I could find in my research was artist and label clas on "creative differences." Okay, but what kind of creative differences? I needed details! I couldn't create a believable dialog with: "We have creative differences." Blah.

I also struggled how to structure the interview style of the story.

Out of the blue I came across a book, Conversations with Tom Petty. Not only did it give me the idea of how to format the interview portion, but Tom talked in detail about his riff with his record company! What a relief.

Shortly after, I found an online forum where a man in the know, gave me even more details.

When I worked on The Sweet By and By with Sara, I met a woman at a wedding rehearsal dinner who was raised by hippie parents! Exactly what I needed for our character, Jade.

So, yesterday while musing over this new book, a new friend posted on my Facebook wall. I thought, "Ask him if he wants to brainstorm with you."

Sure enough, he did. Thank you Torry Martin. Little did I know, he attended culinary school! Exactly what I needed for this book! Not to mention he's creative and really funny.

Hubby shook his head when I told him. "This happens every book," he said.

God is so good. If you doubt, don't. Look what He does for me. He'll do the same if not more for you.

Cute video on Facebook Etiquette